Nice responses, I like the controversy.
If I could find flavorings that weren't PG or alcohol based, I would enjoy my DIY juice much more. After learning about Chinese food production practices like fertilizing garlic with human feces..., I'm trying not to consume anything from China. Those that think most of the cheaper juices are good should try some of the better ones. It's hard to go back.
If I didn't enjoy vaping, I wouldn't do it. However, I question the actual rather than perceived benefits. After all, we all are, or at least were and probably still are a bunch of addicts. Addicts are huge deniers and rationalizers. It's a rationalization to say "at least I don't smoke anymore". Many of us have traded one addiction for another. Like snorting coke rather than ..... Because we are addicts, there are a lot of people who would exploit our addictions for personal profit.
Just a little self analysis. Personally, I'm in the process of evaluating and breaking many of my attachments. I will absolutely continue vaping for the time being, but much like smoking, I have to ask myself if I want to be doing this for the rest of my life. Ultimately, my goal is to truly be free; free of habits, cultural norms, desires for material goods.... The way the modern world seems to be going, I feel I receive less and less value for every dollar spent and more and more like a cow being milked for every drop.
In general, I'm just trying to be more honest with myself, trying to shed ego and attachment. I'm overly educated, yet I'm beginning to understand I don't really know anything. I'm at the point where I have many more questions than answers.
Have you noticed the posts about Mt. Baker Vapor? American made juice, and you can choose your own ratio... all PG, all VG, or varying combinations of both. Again, $7-$8 per 30ml bottle... even cheaper if you go with the largest size available, 250ml for $40.
Addiction only has a hold on you if you LET it have a hold on you. You managed to quit analogues, right? That's a huge step by itself considering you managed to quit your addiction to tar, which has quite a few addictive carcinogens in it. Nicotine is the only one down to go, and it's the LEAST physically addictive out of everything you were addicted to in analogues. Personally I've been bumping back the nic in my juices every couple of months... I'm down to 12mg now. From there it will be 6mg... then ZERO and I'm done. If I vape after that, it is merely a hobby from that point onwards, and I never plan on adding nic back in to my juices if I do. Again, you've got to evaluate WHY you're vaping. Is it to quit your addiction to smoking, nic itself, or the oral habit altogether? Is it a hobby? Etc. From there you have a ground to walk upon on figuring out what you need to change.
MANY people have addictions, and it's not just chemicals, either. Shopping, gambling, visual media like TV/movies, games, junk food, collecting things, etc. Again, here's the question of what you value the most. Enjoyment? Freedom from ALL addictions or just this one? Etc.
The MAJOR point for you is that you need to know yourself and what you value most, i.e. get out of denial (which you called rationalizing, which is only one of the many symptoms of denial). Then you can set up a goal list, and from there you can plan out steps to carry out those goals... and then DO it.
The statement about freedom has me wondering if your birth number (numerology) is a 5 (I'm a 5 myself). If so, you may take interest in the book "The Life You Were Meant to Live" by Dan Millman. VERY in depth book that can help you figure yourself out and ask the right inner questions to help you achieve your goal of ultimate freedom.
"Shedding ego and attachment" is a little off... everyone has an ego, you can't get away from it. But it's not a negative thing as many people think. It's what makes you an individual, and what governs your deepest desires. Without an ego, you would not desire that freedom you speak of. Attachment is yet another symptom, but not of ego... of dependence. THAT is what you sound like you want to shed... dependence... once you learn to become truly independent, that is when you will experience true freedom.
I hope these posts I have made helps you... or someone out there. Anyone interested in shedding the chains of addictions would do well to utilize this resource:
http://internetofthemind.com. It's a free self help online resource designed by an addictions therapist who set up the site to serve as a resource for his clients when he is not personally available to them... he also wanted to make a free resource on the net to help those that may not seek out help in any other form.